Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church (Orange)

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church is a Catholic church located on 103 South Center Street in the City of Orange, New Jersey. Just before the turn of the 20th century, large numbers of Italian immigrants settled in the area, and the church was built in 1902 to serve the predominantly-Italian Catholic population of the city. In 1926, its care was entrusted to the Capuchin Franciscan Friars, and the new brick church was built and dedicated on 8 December 1933. In 1973, the construction of a new interstate highway displaced 800 parish families to West Orange or other parts of Orange, and the 1970s and 1980s saw the older Italian families move to suburbs such as East Hanover and Livingston while the Oranges were populated by newer immigrant groups from Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. By the 21st century, the parish had 500 members, with 10% being Italian, 70% Hispanic, and 10% Haitian, among other ethnic groups.